Prince Goes Social Media Silent, Deletes YouTube Videos

CBC

Prince fans looking for a social media fix of the Purple One are finding themselves in the cold after artist-related internet outlets were quietly deactivated.

A little over a year since the funky American singer-songwriter posted his first tweet, the Twitter accounts for the artist's band 3rd Eye Girl (@3rdEyeGirl) and the New Power Generation account (@NPGOffical) have been deleted.

Prince’s official Facebook page and Instagram (Princestagram) accounts have also been shut down. And, as of Wednesday morning, all the videos on the 3rd Eye Girl YouTube account have either been pulled or been made private.

Only three videos remain on Prince’s YouTube Vevo account: a five-day-old interview and two versions of the track Breakfast Can Wait.

- On mobile? Watch Breakfast Can Wait video here

Disappearance after disappointment

The Purple Rain singer's digital withdrawal comes just three weeks after Canadian fans lined up for hours outside Toronto’s Massey Hall for a suspected surprise concert. The rumours were started after 3rdEyeGirl tweeted the cryptic message: "4th day of November, we need a purple high: OTNOROT CALLING…".

After hours of waiting, and the sighting of a drum kit emblazoned with Prince's famous symbol, concert promoter Live Nation announced there wouldn’t be a show. Members of the band followed up by tweeting their apologies for the misunderstanding.

Prince's digital difficulties

While Prince's social media silence is disappointing for fans, it's certainly not surprising: The 56-year-old has had a tumultuous relationship with the digital realm.

The persnickety artist threatened to sue eBay, YouTube and even his online fan clubs in 2007 over the distribution of his music and his likeness. He also declared the internet "completely over" in a 2010 interview with the Daily Mail.

"All these computers and digital gadgets are no good," said Prince. "They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you.

A dispute with his record label in 1993 resulted in Prince changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol.

Perhaps the social media retreat is just another stunt by the prolific musician. He released two albums, Plectrumelectrum and Art Official Age, earlier this year